Definition
Competency analysis is related to functional analysis, which determines job competence, and behavioral analysis, which establishes those aspects of behavior that affect the competence of job performance.
Approaches to competency analysis
There are seven approaches to competency analysis.
Starting from the simplest, they are:
expert opinion;
structured interview;
working groups;
functional analysis;
method of critical cases;
repertory grids.
Expert opinion
This is the simplest, crudest, and least satisfactory method. An 'expert panel' of HR is formed and discusses, possibly with other 'experts' from the same department, a list based on their own understanding of 'what to consider'.
This method is unsatisfactory because, in the absence of a detailed analysis, there is a rather low probability that these particular competencies are required in the organization, that they are real and measurable. Such a list would be unacceptable also because line managers and employees were not involved.
Structured interview
A structured interview begins with the "experts" compiling a list of competencies and processing it by subjecting a number of workers to a structured interview. The interview begins by identifying the scope of key results or the main accountability of the role and continues with an analysis of the behavioral characteristics that distinguish workers from different levels competence.
The key question is: "What are the positive or negative indicators of behavior that leads or does not lead to a high level of work performance?" Here is a sample list of analyzed indicators of behavior:
personality orientation (achievement motivation);
impact on results;
analytic skills;
creative thinking (ability to innovate);
persistence;
commercial view;
guidance and leadership;
interpersonal relationships;
the ability to convey information;
the ability to adapt and cope with change and stress;
ability to plan and manage projects;
propensity to share knowledge.
For each area, examples of effective behavior will be found.
One problem with this approach is that it relies too heavily on the expert's ability to obtain information from the interviewees. In addition, it is undesirable to use a deductive approach that replaces analysis with the preparation of a list of competencies. It is much better to use an inductive approach that starts by identifying behaviors and then grouping them into competencies. This can be done in working groups through the analysis of positive and negative indicators that improve the understanding of competencies in the profession or job, as described below.
Working groups
Working groups include people who have "expert" knowledge or work experience - managers or employees - and an intermediary, usually, but not necessarily, an employee of the personnel department or an external consultant.
The working group begins with an analysis of the "central" aspects of competence in a given organization: what qualities must be used in the job in order to achieve success. Then the areas of work competence are agreed - the key actions that are performed by employees in the role in question. They are defined in terms of products, that is, the result to be achieved in a particular aspect of a given role. You can use existing role definitions for this purpose.
Using competencies as a framework, group members provide examples of effective behavior, that is, behavior that is likely to produce the desired results. The main question is: “What do they do and how do they behave when they are effectively fulfilling their role?” The answers to this question will be expressed in the following form: "A person in this role plays it well when he / she ...". Examples of the type of behavior under discussion can be given wherever possible. Answers are written on posters hanging on the wall. The group then, with the help of a mediator, analyzes their responses and translates them into a set of competencies that are defined in terms of the actual behaviors identified earlier. The words used by the group are used as much as possible so that they can "own" the result. These competencies form the basis for a framework of general or profile specific competencies.
For example, one of the areas of competence of the role of the director of human resources may be planning human resources, defined as:
Making forecasts of human resource needs and plans for their acquisition, retention and effective use, which ensure that the company's human resource needs are met.
Aspects of competence in this area can be expressed as: "Someone in this role will play it well if he/she":
seeks participation in strategy development commercial activities;
contributes to business planning by taking a strategic view of forward-looking human resource issues that may affect business strategy;
Builds relationships with colleagues from senior management to understand and answer the human resource planning questions they raise;
Offers practical ways improving the use of human resources.
The role of the facilitator in the working group is to stimulate the group, help it analyze its findings and, in general, contribute to the creation of a set of competencies that can be illustrated with examples of behavior.
functional analysis
Functional analysis is a method that is applied to define competency-based standards for the National Occupational Qualifications Guide (rQV1).1 It begins by describing the key objectives of the profession and then defines its key functions.
A distinction is made between tasks, the activities that take place in the workplace, and the functions that are the goals of those activities. This distinction is important because the analysis must focus on the results of actions in order to establish performance expectations in the workplace. This will be the data needed to determine the standards of competence.
Once the units and elements of competence, which are described in chapter 21, have been established, the next question arises: “What are the qualitative characteristics of the results?”. They should be expressed in terms of performance criteria that the examiner can use to assess the relevant performance of an individual worker.
Functional analysis is aimed at defining the standards of the JUC; the identification of behavioral aspects of competence is not its immediate result, especially when required general definitions whole professional sphere such as managers or foremen.
Critical case method
The critical case method is designed to obtain data on effective or ineffective behavior that was actually demonstrated - in the so-called critical cases. The method is applied to a group of employees in certain positions and / or their managers or other "experts" (sometimes, less effectively, to individual people). The sequence of actions of such an analysis is as follows:
1 Russian analogue - " Qualification guide positions of managers, specialists and other employees”, the Ministry of Labor and social development RF. - Approx. ed.
Explain what the method is and what it is used for, i.e. say: “Assess what constitutes high and low performance by analyzing events that have been seen to have a marked success or failure. This way you provide more factual and “real” information than just listing tasks and rough definitions of performance requirements.”
Agree and compile a list of key areas of responsibility - the main accountability - in the work being analyzed. To save time, the analyst can define them prior to the meeting, but assurances are needed that they have been agreed upon in advance by the group, who can be told that the list will be significantly improved as a result of the forthcoming review.
Take each area of work in turn and ask the group to give examples of critical cases. If, for example, one of the job responsibilities is to communicate with customers, the question can be asked as follows:
I want you to tell me about specific cases in your work with buyers that you have been involved in or observed. Remember the circumstances under which they occurred, such as who was involved, what the customer asked, what you or another worker did, and what was the result.
Group information about critical cases by the following topics:-
what were the circumstances; -
what the worker did; -
the result of what the worker did.
This information should be written on posters hanging on the wall, such as:
Continue this process for each area of responsibility.
Refer to the posters and analyze each case, having the participants rate the examples of behavior given on a scale from 1 for the least effective behavior to 5 for the most effective.
Discuss these scores to get initial definitions of effective and inefficient performance for each key aspect of the job.
Refine these definitions after the meeting if necessary - convincing the group to come up with final definitions can be difficult.
Conduct a final analysis that can result in a list of required competencies and include indicators or standards of performance for each principal accountable output or key task.
Repertory grids
Like the critical case method, repertory grids can be used to identify aspects that distinguish high performance standards from low ones. This technique is based on the theory of personality constructs by J. Kelly (Kelly, 1955). Personal constructs are the ways in which we look at the world. They are personal because they are highly individual and influence our behavior and our opinions about the behavior of others.
The aspects of work to which these "constructs" or judgments apply are called "elements".
In order to learn these judgments, a group of people is asked to focus on certain elements that represent tasks performed by workers and develop constructs about these elements. This gives them the opportunity to identify what indicates the essential requirements for successful completion.
The procedure followed by the analyst is known as the "triadic inference method" (a variation of the three-card trick) and includes the following steps: 1.
Determine which tasks or work items are analyzed using the repertory grid method. This is done through a form of job analysis, such as an interview. 2.
List tasks on cards. 3.
Randomly draw three cards from the deck and ask the members of the group to name one of these tasks that is superior to others in terms of the qualities and characteristics necessary to complete it. 4.
Try to get more specific definitions of these qualities or characteristics in terms of expected behavior. If the characteristics are described, for example, as "the ability to plan and organize," ask questions such as: "What behaviors or actions indicate that someone is planning effectively?" or "What can we say if someone isn't particularly good at organizing their work?" 5.
Draw three more cards from the deck and repeat steps 3 and 4. 6.
Repeat this process until all cards have been analyzed and there are no more constructs left to be determined. 7.
Make a list of constructs and ask group members to rate each item for each quality using a six- or seven-point scale. 8.
Calculate and analyze the number of points scored to assess their relative importance. This can be done statistically, as Markham (1987) describes.
Like the critical case method, the repertory grid method helps workers to clearly express their opinion on specific examples. An added advantage is that repertory grids make it easier for workers to determine the behavioral characteristics of the competencies required in the job by limiting the area of comparison using the triadic method.
Although a full statistical analysis of the results obtained by the repertory grid method is useful, the most important results that can be obtained are descriptions of what constitutes good and bad performance in each element of the work.
Both the repertory grids and the critical case method require the input of a skilled person who can research and write job descriptions. They are very detailed and time consuming, but even if the entire process is not carried out, much of its methodology is useful for a less complex competency analysis approach.
What approach?
Techniques such as the critical case method and repertory grids can be effective, but their application takes time and experience.
For those who do not have time for these two approaches, the method working group which is described above. However, if you have never done such an analysis before, you are advised to enlist the support of an external consultant who has relevant experience. Functional analysis is used when the main goal is to develop standards
Sections: General pedagogical technologies
The most important goal of modern vocational education is to give the future specialist a certain set of knowledge and skills, but also to create in the student a mindset for self-learning and self-organization, for the continuous expansion and deepening of knowledge and skills, which is the key to continuing education throughout life. If a student, relying on his own experience and independently “extracts” knowledge in educational process, and does not receive them ready-made, then he will strive to act similarly in his future professional activities. The upbringing of creatively thinking specialists is possible through the involvement of students in research work. A specialist with research competence is able to actively and productively analyze factual information, create and select new more efficient algorithms, resources, technologies, and not just use ready-made, sometimes outdated, algorithms and facts. However, the level of education and upbringing, the formation of research skills in a pedagogical college does not yet fully meet modern requirements, the tasks of modernizing secondary vocational education.
The modern transition to a unified European system of education poses the task of pedagogical science in the formation and development of the personality of a competent teacher-researcher who owns the technology of staging a scientific and pedagogical experiment in the educational process. In connection with this, the unconditional requirement for the preparation of a future teacher is the arming with knowledge of academic disciplines, the formation of skills and abilities of scientific and research activities, its development professional qualities, searching and planning new approaches to teaching and educating students.
During the period of study at the Pedagogical College, each student independently performs a number of different works: reports, abstracts, term papers and final qualification papers. Each new work should differ from the previous one in increasing difficulty and volume. Some works contain only a review and a critical assessment of the available scientific papers, others are the result of research activities of students. All these types of work help students: master modern methods search, processing and use of information, master some methods of research activities, determine their pedagogical position, the ability to defend and defend it, which, ultimately, helps to develop specialists' abilities and creative attitude towards their profession.
A significant change in views on the values of modern education requires the creation of a new educational product, the basis for which is a competency-based approach, where the priority is not the student's awareness, not the assimilation and reproduction of educational material, but an independent motivated search for information, its interpretation, processing and analysis in order to obtain a new knowledge, i.e. research activity. The competence-based approach provides for the existence of two categories - “competence”, “competence”.
To date, in the scientific literature there is no unity in approaches to the definition of these concepts. Based on the approaches of such authors as Khutorskoy A.V., Sotnik V.G., Stepanova T.A. to the definition of the concepts of “competence” and “competence”, we tend to understand competence- a set of interrelated qualities of a person (knowledge, abilities, skills, methods of activity) necessary for high-quality, productive interaction with a certain range of objects or processes. Competence- this is knowledge in action, it can be standardized, demanded and implemented at the appropriate level of competence.
The professional competence of a teacher is formed and manifested in activities. The research competence of a teacher is an integral part of professional competence and ensures its effectiveness. Research competence teacher is a characteristic of the teacher's personality, which means possession of the skills and methods of research activities at the technology level in order to search for knowledge to solve educational problems, build the educational process in accordance with the values-goals of modern education, the mission educational institution desired educational outcome. In the domestic education system, a list of key components of research competence has been adopted, based on the model of A. Leontiev's activity, there are four groups: cognitive, motivational, indicative, operational.
The cognitive component is considered as a set of knowledge and concepts that a teacher needs to set and solve research problems in their professional activities.
The motivational component is the meaning that research activity has not in general, but for a particular person.
The indicative component is a set of skills that ensure the identification of a need for some kind of knowledge and the construction of an image of how it can be obtained in existing conditions.
Operational or technological or component of research competence is a set of the subject's skills to perform research actions necessary to solve research problems in pedagogical activity.
Researchers agree that the formation of the teacher's research competence is carried out in the conditions of a systematic and continuous educational process (E.N. Gusinsky, M.V. Klarin, G.P. Shchedrovitsky, etc.), focusing on the individual potential of each student ( V.K. Dyachenko, D.A. Danilov, E.S. Nikitina, etc.), manufacturability (N.V. Kuzmina, M.V. Klarin, L.M. Mitina, etc.) and predictability of learning outcomes ( N.A. Aminov, B.S. Gershunsky, V.A. Semichenko, etc.). This problem is considered in the aspect of various theoretical approaches to general (E.F. Zeer, V.F. Kovalevsky, A.I. Turchinov, V.D. Shadrikov and others) and pedagogical professiology (V.I. Zagvyazinsky, V. V. Kraevsky, N.V. Kuzmina, I.P. Pastukhova, etc.), to the development of professionally significant qualities of a student (N.A. Aminov, L.I. Fedorova, N.V. Fomin, etc.), his motivational sphere, intellectual abilities (J. Piaget, J. Gilford, H. Heckausen, P. G. Kabanov, V. I. Kovalev, V. A. Krutetsky and others), his focus on self-development (K. Ya. Vazina , V. V. Guzeev, L. N. Kulikova, A. Ya. Nain, G. A. Tsukerman, etc.). Lobova G.N. identifies two levels of research competence: teaching and research and research (PEC and NIK). Lobova G.N. believes that the teaching and research competence of students of a pedagogical college should imply the ability of a student to set a task, to preliminarily analyze the available information, conditions, methods, and planning a pedagogical experiment. And also, research competence implies the active activity of students, which ensures the acquisition of the necessary skills for creative research activity, which ends with the students' independent solution of problems already developed in science. The formation of teaching and research competence is a necessary basis for the development of research competence. The indicators of the formation of the research competence of students of the pedagogical college are the formed research knowledge, skills, which we present in the table.
Research knowledge, skills and abilities
| Type of research competence | Research knowledge, skills and abilities |
| Working with primary sources | Bibliographic skills; Knowledge of catalog types and ability to work with them; Reference literature skills; Orientation skills in professional periodicals; Ability to take notes on reading; Ability to see the structure of the material presented; Ability to organize material. |
| Observation of phenomena and facts | Ability and skills to choose the object of observation; Ability and skill to determine the purpose and objectives of observation; Observation skills and abilities; The ability to accurately and completely record the observed phenomena; Ability to analyze observational data; Ability to exercise self-control and self-assessment. |
| Analysis of phenomena and facts | The ability to dismember the phenomenon under study into constituent elements; Ability to compare, compare; The ability and skills to mentally connect parts of phenomena and establish their relationships. |
| Identification of the problem (tasks) and its solution | Ability to analyze the pedagogical situation; Ability to see and formulate a problem; Ability to find ways to solve problems; Ability to test solutions to problems. |
| Statement of the hypothesis | The ability to select and test the data on which the hypothesis is based; Ability to conduct a search experiment; Ability to formulate a hypothesis; The ability to refine a hypothesis. |
| Development and implementation of the experiment (calculations, theoretical study), processing and generalization of the results | Ability to analyze source data; Ability to develop the idea of an experiment (research); Ability to develop technology and methods of experiment; Ability to conduct an experiment; Ability to sum up the results of the experiment; Ability to exercise self-control and self-esteem. |
| Generalization research results, wording general conclusions | Ability to analyze the work done in order to identify its most significant results; The ability to formulate generalizing conclusions in accordance with the goals and objectives set and the results of their implementation; The ability to evaluate the results of the study in terms of their reliability and practical significance. |
| Using the achievements of related sciences | Ability to use research methods used in related science; The ability to refract and substantiate the key and particular ideas of the related science of the ongoing research. |
Analysis contemporary research(L.F. Avdeeva, N.S. Amelina, S.P. Arseneva, N.M. Yakovleva and others) showed that in the formation of research competence important role is assigned to specially organized means of preparing students for research activities. Among the means of developing research competence, the most effective is the system of special courses, which involve the sequential passage of the stages of independent pedagogical scientific research. In our case, this is the special course “Fundamentals of Research Activities” developed by us (an approximate thematic plan of the academic discipline is presented below), which should help to activate the cognitive activity of students, form their creative thinking, research skills, independently analyze and find the right scientifically based solution in specific pedagogical situations that arise during the period of pedagogical practice.
Approximate thematic plan of the discipline "Fundamentals of research activities of students"
| Name of sections and topics | Number of hours | ||
| Total | practical lessons | ||
| Introduction | 2 | ||
| Topic 1. Science and scientific knowledge | 2 | ||
| Topic 2. Methodological foundations of psychological and pedagogical research | 2 | ||
| Topic 3. Research methods of psychological and pedagogical problems | 6 | 3 | |
| Topic 4. Technology of working with information sources | 4 | 2 | |
| Topic 5. Categorical-conceptual apparatus and structure of the study | 8 | 4 | |
| Topic 6. Organization of research experimental work of students | 4 | 2 | |
| Topic 7 | 5 | 4 | |
| Total by discipline | 33 | 14 | |
Literature
- Lobova G.N. Fundamentals of preparing students for research activities. - M., 2000
- Bogoslovsky V.I. Information needs of students of a pedagogical university and teachers in the context of professional (information) culture and competence // Science and School. - 1999. - No. 6. - C.35–40.
- Komarova Yu.A. Scientific research competence of specialists: functional and meaningful description // Proceedings of the Russian State Pedagogical University. A.I. Herzen. Issue 11 (68). - St. Petersburg, 2008, September. – P. 69–77.
- Lazarev V.S., Konoplina N.V. Activity approach to the formation of the content of pedagogical education / V.C. Lazarev, N.V. Hemp // Pedagogy. - 2000. - No. 3. - P. 27–34.
- Khutorskoy A.V. Definition of general subject content and core competencies as a characteristic of a new approach to design educational standards. Access mode: http://www.eidos.ru/journal/2002/0423.htm
1. What is the success of a manager and how to evaluate this success?
2. How to identify talented people in the company who can become successful managers?
The answers to these questions inevitably lead us to the need competency models. Therefore, the development and implementation competency models has long been an integral part of performance management for many multinational companies and, at the same time, a relevant and fashionable topic for Russian business. Our study allowed us to compile an average portrait of a successful manager in competency models in conditions Russian market and compare it with a successful manager in the West.
This study lasted 9 months and involved 40 leading Russian and Western companies. As part of the study, 141 interviews were conducted with top managers and successful middle managers in Russia.
Based on the results of the study, a standard competency model for middle managers "20 Facets", which consists of 20 competencies that are important for the successful work of managers in Russia. In this competence models all competencies are divided into 5 groups: managerial skills, decision-making skills, motivation, personality traits and interpersonal skills.
Competence Model "20 Facets"
As part of the study, we compared competency model "20 faces" And standard competency model our international partner, the British company A&DC.
The results of the study showed that there are differences between the criteria for the success of a manager in Russia and in the West.
Main conclusions:
The managerial and decision-making skills required for successful work by managers in Russia and in the West are almost the same.
The main differences in the criteria for the success of managers in the West and in Russia lie in the field of interpersonal skills (communication skills, building relationships) and individual characteristics ( positive thinking, self-development), which largely depend on the characteristics of culture and economic situation in the country.
The differences between Western and Russian competencies can be divided into two categories:
Differences in terminology (the names of the competencies of the Russian and Western models are the same, but the content of these competencies is different or the content of competencies in the Russian and Western models is the same, but the names of these competencies are different).
The existence of new managerial competencies in Russia that do not appear in the standard A&DC model.
Differences in terminology:
In Russian, we identified competence Responsibility.
This model of behavior in Western terminology is called Decisiveness.
Competence Focus on results,
used by managers in Russia, combines the competencies persistence And Focus on achievement in the western general A&DC model. In addition, the Russian model introduces a new important quality- ambition.
in Russian competency model "20 facets" under Gathering information implies not only the ability to effectively collect information in oral communication, as defined in the Western model, but also to correctly identify sources of information for faster analysis of the necessary information and acceptance rational decision.
within the competence Development of subordinates study participants emphasized the special role mentoring as a way to train and develop your employees.
within the competence Interpersonal Understanding study participants stressed the need active listening for effective interaction and understanding of the point of view of other people in achieving their own goals and objectives of the manager.
within the competence Teamwork participants emphasized the importance for success of such a quality as openness, which implies the manager's desire to share with colleagues necessary information When faced with a problem, speak openly about it, admit your mistakes.
New competencies:
The results of the study revealed the following 4 competencies that are unique to Russia and are not reflected in the A&DC competency model:
Self-development
positive thinking
Systematic thinking
Relationship building
Self-development
Definition: Open to new knowledge and experience. Correctly evaluates his strengths and weak sides, constantly develops its professional, business and personal qualities. Takes on more complex tasks for the purpose of his professional development.
For the West, this skill is not as relevant as for Russia, since the Western education system is more suited to the needs of business, so university and college graduates have the opportunity to receive all necessary knowledge and skills to apply them in the work in the specialty. A graduate of a Russian university needs to make extra efforts to acquire necessary knowledge and skills to solve the tasks that are put before him in the business environment.
Presence of Competence Self-development in the Russian model is also due to the need for a manager in Russia to be well versed in a constantly changing market situation: the emergence of new products and technologies, the opening of new markets, and changes in legislation. In order for a person to work effectively in Russia, he needs to constantly absorb new knowledge, since the pace of market development is ahead of the topics of development of the education system.
positive thinking
Definition: Concentrates on the positive aspects in difficult situations, demonstrates confidence in the successful resolution of the problem.
This competence is most relevant for Russia due to the constantly changing situation in the market, a large number of problems that require an immediate solution from the manager. Often he has to solve these problems in conditions of uncertainty (for example, in legislation). To be successful, a manager needs to constantly maintain self-confidence and ability to solve problems.
In addition, constant changes in the market entail transformations within companies. To be successful, it is essential that the manager embrace these changes, focus on the opportunities they provide, and point this out to their subordinates.
Systematic thinking
Definition: Considers the situation in a broad context, determines the causes of problems, finds ways to prevent them in the future. Sees how his decisions affect others (people, departments, companies).
The emergence of this competence in the Russian model is largely due to changes within companies associated with their growth, changes in the structure of companies as a result of mergers and acquisitions, transformations associated with a change of owners, etc. As a result of these changes, companies often lack those regulated procedures and standards on the basis of which decisions are made in many companies in the West: there are no prescribed algorithms of actions, many decisions are born anew. Therefore, the success of a manager in a company, among other things, depends on how fully he considers all the factors influencing the problem, is able to look at the situation more broadly and see the impact of his decisions on other people, departments and the company as a whole.
Relationship building
Definition: Communicates with others in a friendly manner, creates a trusting atmosphere. Establishes long-term partnerships with others inside and outside the organization.
The cultural and economic features of Russia are such that it is often necessary to use the “necessary” contacts and informal connections in order to achieve the set goals, which would allow solving issues bypassing lengthy bureaucratic procedures, both within the organization and with external services (for example, with tax and audit bodies).
Thus, after passing this study, we concluded that, despite the fact that the criteria for the success of managers in the West and in Russia are generally similar, some of the competencies that are important for Russia are not so in demand in the West. This means that when introducing Western technologies in Russia, it is important to take into account the difference in the culture and economy of our countries, which obviously affects corporate culture organizations. Undoubtedly, Western instruments have a long history and are standards in world practice, however, we recommend that you carefully evaluate the content of the methods and adapt technologies to Russian business before introducing and actively using them in Russia.
APPROACHES TO COMPETENCE ANALYSIS
There are seven approaches to competency analysis. Starting from the simplest, they are:
. expert opinion;
. structured interview;
. working groups;
. functional analysis;
. method of critical cases;
. repertory grids.
Expert opinion
This is the simplest, crudest, and least satisfactory method. An 'expert panel' of HR is formed and discusses, possibly with other 'experts' from the same department, a list based on their own understanding of 'what to consider'.
Structured interview
A structured interview begins with the "experts" compiling a list of competencies and processing it by subjecting a number of workers to a structured interview. The interview begins by identifying the scope of key results or the main accountability of the role and continues with an analysis of the behavioral characteristics that distinguish workers with different levels of competence.
The key question is: “What are the positive or negative indicators of behavior that leads or does not lead to a high level of work performance?” Here is a sample list of analyzed indicators of behavior:
. personality orientation (achievement motivation);
. impact on results;
. analytic skills;
. strategic thinking;
. creative thinking (ability to innovate);
. persistence;
. commercial view;
. guidance and leadership;
. interpersonal relationships;
. the ability to convey information;
. the ability to adapt and cope with change and stress;
. ability to plan and manage projects;
. propensity to share knowledge.
Working groups
Working groups include people who have "expert" knowledge or experience - managers or employees - and an intermediary, usually, but not necessarily, an employee of the human resources department or an external consultant.
The working group begins with an analysis of the "central" aspects of competence in a given organization: what qualities must be used in the job in order to achieve success. Then the areas of work competence are agreed upon - the key actions that are performed by employees in the role in question. They are defined in terms of products, that is, the result to be achieved in a particular aspect of a given role.
functional analysis
Functional analysis is a method that is applied to define competency-based standards for the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ). It starts by describing the key objectives of the profession and then defines its key functions. The Russian analogue is the "Qualification Handbook for the Positions of Managers, Specialists and Other Employees", the Ministry of Labor and Social Development of the Russian Federation.
A distinction is made between tasks, the activities that take place in the workplace, and the functions that are the goals of those activities. This distinction is important because the analysis must focus on the results of actions in order to establish performance expectations in the workplace. This will be the data needed to determine the standards of competence.
Critical case method
The critical case method is designed to obtain data on effective or ineffective behavior, which was demonstrated in reality - in the so-called critical cases. The method is applied to a group of employees in certain positions and / or their managers or other "experts" (sometimes, less effectively, to individuals).
Repertory grids
Like the critical case method, repertory grids can be used to identify aspects that distinguish high performance standards from low ones. This technique is based on the theory of personality constructs by J. Kelly (Kelly, 1955). Personal constructs are the ways in which we look at the world. They are personal because to a large extent are individual and affect our behavior and our opinion of the behavior of others.
The aspects of work to which these "constructs" or judgments apply are called "elements".
In order to learn these judgments, a group of people is asked to focus on certain elements that represent tasks performed by workers and develop constructs about these elements. This gives them the opportunity to identify what indicates the essential requirements for successful completion.
JOB INSTRUCTIONS
Using Job Descriptions to Organize, Hire, and Manage Performance
A simple job description can be used to:
. determine the place of the position in the structure of the organization and make it clear to the employees occupying it and to everyone else the contribution that this work contributes to the achievement of organizational and departmental goals;
. provide the necessary information to draw up personal specifications for hiring and describe the position to candidates;
. draw up an employment contract on its basis;
. provide a framework for performance management;
. on its basis, evaluate the work and establish its class or rank.
Form and content
The job description should not go into too much detail. It should make it clear what contribution is expected from the worker. It should be expressed in terms of results to be achieved (principal accountable outputs, key result areas or main tasks, actions or responsibilities). In addition, the position of the employee in the organization (subordination) must be indicated.
In preparation job descriptions This type takes into account two factors:
. Flexibility – Functional flexibility and versatility are becoming increasingly important. Therefore, flexibility is needed when drafting job descriptions. This is achieved by focusing on results rather than saying what needs to be done - the job description should not hamper movement and development, describing in detail the tasks that need to be performed. Emphasis should be placed on the role played by employees, using their skills and competencies to achieve results within a fairly broad scope of responsibility. The purpose of this is to ensure that employees who are expected to work flexible cannot say, "No, that's not in my job description."
. Teamwork – Successful organizations rely more on teamwork and this requirement needs to be emphasized.
Form
A form of job description that is developed for the purpose of organizing, hiring or compiling employment contracts is simple and includes:
. job title;
. definition of the overall goal or task of the work;
. listing principled accountability, key result areas, tasks, actions, or responsibilities (what they are called is not the most important question, although the terms “principled accountability” and “key results area” do emphasize the outcomes that employees are expected to achieve).
Writing job descriptions
Job descriptions should be based on a detailed job analysis, be as concise as possible, and contain only the essentials. The sections that should be included in the job description and explanatory notes on completing each section are set out below.
Job Title - An existing or proposed job title should indicate as clearly as possible the department in which the job is performed and its place within the department. The use of terms such as "manager", "assistant manager" or "senior" to describe the level of work should be consistent across departments.
To whom it reports - in this section, the name of the position of the manager or direct supervisor to whom the employee reports directly should be given. It is not necessary to indicate in this section any functional relationships that an employee may have with other managers.
Who reports - in this section, the names of the positions of all employees directly reporting to this employee. Again, this should not include any functional relationships that an employee in this position may have with other employees. To clarify the structure of subordination, one can cite block diagram organizations.
Overall Purpose - This section should describe the overall purpose of the work as concisely and accurately as possible. It should be in one phrase to reflect a picture of the work that clearly distinguishes it from other jobs and defines the role of employees and the contribution that they must make to the achievement of the goals of the organization and their department or unit. In this section, it is not necessary to describe the actions performed, but only the grand total. But, of course, it should be summed up by analyzing the actions presented in the next section. When preparing a job description, it is often best to postpone the definition of overall responsibility until after the actions have been analyzed and described.
Principal Accountability or Core Objectives – Determining principle accountability or core challenges requires the following steps:
. Identify the main activities or tasks performed by the employee and make an initial list of them.
. Analyze the initial list of tasks and group them so that no more than ten main areas of activity remain - most of the work can be sorted into seven or eight areas. If their number is much higher than this, the job description becomes overly complex and it will be difficult to define the main accountability and areas of key results or tasks.
. Define each area of activity as essentially a declaration of accountability. A declaration of accountability expresses what the worker is expected to achieve (products) and therefore what he will be accountable for. These can be defined as key result areas.
. Define accountability in one sentence, which should:
- begin with a verb in the active voice, which in a positive form indicates what should be done and eliminates unnecessary words; for example: plans, prepares, creates, implements, conducts, provides, schedules, executes, organizes, maintains, communicates with..., cooperates with...;
- describe the object of action (what is being done) as concisely as possible; for example: testing new systems, entering cash amounts into sales books and sending packages to the warehouse finished products, draws up the production schedule, ensures the maintenance management accounting prepares marketing programs;
— succinctly state the purpose of the activity in terms of products or standards to be achieved; for example: testing new systems to ensure they meet approved system specifications; enters cash amounts into sales books to provide up-to-date and accurate financial information; sends planned production to the warehouse so that all items of goods are moved on the same day they are packed; draws up a production schedule to meet the approved production and delivery targets; ensures that management records are maintained that provide the required information to management and individual managers on budget execution and any deviations; prepares marketing programs that support the implementation marketing strategies enterprises are real and provide clear guidance to development, production, marketing and sales departments about the actions to be taken. The Accountability Statement, which focuses on the products that are required in terms of expected results, provides the key data used in agreeing on long-term and short-term goals for performance management processes and in determining job competence.
Factor analysis - in the preparation of job descriptions designed to evaluate performance, the method is used factor analysis. Factor analysis is a process that considers each job evaluation factor (such as knowledge and skills or responsibility) in terms of the extent to which it is represented in a given job. When writing the results of factor analysis, you need to specify the factor and its level in the scheme of performance evaluation factors. This analysis should be supported by facts and examples whenever possible.
ROLE PROFILES
Does job analysis have to do with “job,” “role,” or both? The terms "job" and "role" are often used interchangeably, although there is an important difference:
. The work consists of a group of final tasks ( individual works) and the responsibilities that are performed to achieve the end result.
. The term "role" describes the role that employees play in fulfilling their aspirations through competent and flexible work in the context of organizational goals, structure and processes.
The traditional approach to job description focuses on the reasons for its existence (its overall purpose) and the actions it takes. The implementation of this approach is that the goals and actions are fixed and carried out by employees as prescribed. At first glance, there is no room for flexibility or reasoning about how best to do the job. The work is the same; in fact, it must be the same, no matter who performs it.
The concept of a role is much broader, because it is focused on people and their behavior - it has to do with what people do and how they do it, and not with close attention to the content of the work. When faced with any situation, for example, while doing work, a person must role-play in order to act effectively in specific conditions. People at work, to some extent, often play a role; they do not just repeat the learned course of action, but interpret it from the point of view of their own understanding of how to behave in given working conditions.
Role profiles or definitions cover both the key result areas of a given role and the behavioral aspects of work, the competencies required to achieve an acceptable level of performance and contribution. They can highlight the need for flexibility and versatility, as well as adaptability to the varying demands placed on workers in project- or task-based organizations that emphasize process rather than hierarchical structure.
- What is the success of a manager and how to evaluate this success?
- How to identify talented people in the company who can become successful managers?
This study lasted 9 months and involved 40 leading Russian and Western companies. As part of the study, 141 interviews were conducted with top managers and successful middle managers in Russia.
Based on the results of the study, a standard competency model for middle managers "20 Facets" was developed, which consists of 20 competencies that are important for the successful work of managers in Russia. All competencies are divided into 5 groups: managerial skills, decision-making skills, motivation, personality traits and interpersonal skills.
Competence Model "20 Facets"
| Management Skills | Motivation | ||||
| Planning and organization People management Development of subordinates Leadership | Initiative Quality Orientation Focus on results Self-development |
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| Decision making skills | Individual traits | Interpersonal Skills | |||
| Problem analysis Collection of information commercial thinking Systematic thinking | Stress resistance adaptability Responsibility positive thinking | Interpersonal Understanding Teamwork Persuasive Communication Relationship building |
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As part of the study, we compared the 20 Facets competency model and the standard competency model of our international partner, the British company A&DC.
The results of the study showed that there are differences between the criteria for the success of a manager in Russia and in the West.
Main conclusions:
The managerial and decision-making skills required for successful work by managers in Russia and in the West are almost the same.The main differences in the criteria for the success of managers in the West and in Russia lie in the field of interpersonal skills (communication skills, building relationships) and individual characteristics (positive thinking, self-development), which largely depend on the culture and economic situation in the country.
The differences between Western and Russian competencies can be divided into two categories:
- differences in terminology (the names of the competencies of the Russian and Western models are the same, but the content of these competencies is different or the content of the competencies in the Russian and Western models are the same, but the names of these competencies are different).
- the existence of new managerial competencies in Russia that do not appear in the standard A&DC model.
Differences in terminology:
- in the Russian model "20 faces" we identified the competence Responsibility. This model of behavior in Western terminology is called Decisiveness.
- competence Focus on results used by managers in Russia combines the competencies persistence And Focus on achievement in the western general A&DC model. In addition, a new important quality appears in the Russian model - ambitiousness.
- in the Russian competency model "20 Facets" under Gathering information This implies not only the ability to effectively collect information in oral communication, as defined in the Western model, but also to correctly identify sources of information for faster analysis of the necessary information and rational decision making.
- within the competence Development of subordinates study participants emphasized the special role mentoring as a way to train and develop your employees.
- within the competence Interpersonal Understanding study participants stressed the need active listening for effective interaction and understanding of the point of view of other people in achieving their own goals and objectives of the manager.
- within the competence Teamwork The participants emphasized the importance for the success of such a quality as openness, which implies the desire of a manager to share the necessary information with colleagues when faced with a problem, to speak openly about it, to admit one's mistakes.
New competencies:
The results of the study revealed the following 4 competencies that are unique to Russia and are not reflected in the A&DC competency model:- Self-development
- positive thinking
- Systematic thinking
- Relationship building
Definition: Open to new knowledge and experience. He correctly assesses his strengths and weaknesses, constantly develops his professional, business and personal qualities. Takes on more complex tasks for the purpose of his professional development.
For the West, this skill is not as relevant as for Russia, since the Western education system is more suited to the needs of business, so university and college graduates have the opportunity to obtain all the necessary knowledge and skills to apply them in their specialty. A graduate of a Russian university needs to make extra efforts to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to solve the tasks that are set before him in the business environment.
Presence of Competence Self-development in the Russian model is also due to the need for a manager in Russia to be well versed in a constantly changing market situation: the emergence of new products and technologies, the opening of new markets, and changes in legislation. In order for a person to work effectively in Russia, he needs to constantly absorb new knowledge, since the pace of market development is ahead of the topics of development of the education system.
positive thinking
Definition: Concentrates on the positive aspects in difficult situations, demonstrates confidence in the successful resolution of the problem.
This competence is most relevant for Russia due to the constantly changing situation in the market, a large number of problems that require an immediate solution from the manager. Often he has to solve these problems in conditions of uncertainty (for example, in legislation). To be successful, a manager needs to constantly maintain self-confidence and ability to solve problems.
In addition, constant changes in the market entail transformations within companies. To be successful, it is essential that the manager embrace these changes, focus on the opportunities they provide, and point this out to their subordinates.
Systematic thinking
Definition: Considers the situation in a broad context, determines the causes of problems, finds ways to prevent them in the future. Sees how his decisions affect others (people, departments, companies).
The emergence of this competence in the Russian model is largely due to changes within companies associated with their growth, changes in the structure of companies as a result of mergers and acquisitions, transformations associated with a change of owners, etc. As a result of these changes, companies often lack those regulated procedures and standards on the basis of which decisions are made in many companies in the West: there are no prescribed algorithms of actions, many decisions are born anew. Therefore, the success of a manager in a company, among other things, depends on how fully he considers all the factors influencing the problem, is able to look at the situation more broadly and see the impact of his decisions on other people, departments and the company as a whole.
Relationship building
Definition: Communicates with others in a friendly manner, creates a trusting atmosphere. Establishes long-term partnerships with others inside and outside the organization.
The cultural and economic features of Russia are such that it is often necessary to use the “necessary” contacts and informal connections in order to achieve the set goals, which would allow solving issues bypassing lengthy bureaucratic procedures, both within the organization and with external services (for example, with tax and audit bodies).
Thus, after conducting this study, we concluded that, despite the fact that the criteria for the success of managers in the West and in Russia are generally similar, some of the competencies that are important for Russia are not so in demand in the West. This means that when introducing Western technologies in Russia, it is important to take into account the difference in the culture and economy of our countries, which obviously affects the corporate culture of organizations. Undoubtedly, Western tools have a long history and are standards in world practice, however, we recommend that you carefully evaluate the content of the methods and adapt technologies to Russian business before implementing and actively using them in Russia.
Trainings and seminars on this topic
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